


As a Man

by Grimalkenkid



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angry Sex, Cunnilingus, Derogatory Language, Doggy Style, F/M, Feral Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Guilt, Happy Ending, Hearing Voices, Mildly Dubious Consent, Missionary Position, Oral Sex, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Regret, Soft Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:54:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23224342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimalkenkid/pseuds/Grimalkenkid
Summary: A beast at its lowest point… and a man trying to do better. Prince Dimitri has been both. And despite his previous behavior, he wishes to love Byleth as a man, not a boar.And she is more than willing to accept him.(Same continuity as "Close to Godliness")
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 16
Kudos: 236





	1. The Beast

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Close to Godliness](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21233630) by [Grimalkenkid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimalkenkid/pseuds/Grimalkenkid). 



> So, this started out as a purely fluffy smutfic, but then I felt the desire to add a section showing what Byleth and Dimitri's sex life was like before he got better. If you want just the fluff, please go to Chapter 2.
> 
> For everyone else, please be warned that Dimitri is still bending to his ghosts' demands in this first section. There's no actual pregnancy scare in this fic, but the voices in Dimitri's head do say quite a few... nasty things. If you're okay with that, then please, enjoy!

_Sometime before the Assault of Myrrdin Bridge…_

“Leave.”

Dimitri didn’t have to look to know that Byleth hadn’t moved. She was too stubborn to listen to him. She wanted him to give up his quest for revenge and would argue with him every chance she had, as if her words could possibly mean more than the shouts of the damned.

He wanted her to stay until hers was the only voice in his head.

He couldn’t wait for her to go away.

He hated it.

He loved it.

Minutes passed in absolute silence.

“You cannot help me,” Dimitri growled. “If you continue to stand at my side, I _will_ use you. I am capable of nothing else.”

Behind him, Byleth huffed. “You’re not, and we both know it. And I _can_ help if you’d just _let me_.”

She sounded so sincere, so determined. Dimitri let out a hollow laugh and turned to face her. His once-passive professor stood there defiantly, her eyes full of an unquenchable fire he’d only seen a few times before.

When Tomas revealed his true nature at Remire… when they found Monica in the Sealed Forest…

When they faced Edelgard at Garreg Mach five years ago…

It was rage against injustice, a light to burn away all deceit.

It was a determination to make things right.

 _“Only Edelgard’s head will make_ this _right!”_ Lambert’s voice echoed around the room. _“Your bones may break and your flesh may burn, but so long as we have our revenge, it will not be in vain!”_

Dimitri grimaced and cast his eyes to the floor. “I will not fail you, Father.”

“Who are you talking to, Dimitri?”

The fallen prince slowly looked back up. Concern softened Byleth’s delicate features as she took a step forward. She did not look like a hardened mercenary in that moment. She was hauntingly beautiful, the candlelight of the cathedral dancing over her hair and clothing.

A sudden hunger gripped his body as he raked his gaze over her lithe form. Even as a student, he found her attractive, with her strong legs and ample breasts. More than once, Dimitri laid awake in his bed, touching himself to thoughts of her pinning him to the mattress. Now, seeing her here, eager to ease his pain and shoulder his burden, the _want_ returned, strong and insistent.

 _“Beast.”_ Oh, he was aware. _“You hardly deserved her before.”_ Why else hadn’t he acted on those feelings? _“This desire is a mere indulgence.”_ But beasts must follow their instincts. _“It isn’t necessary.”_ He wasn’t doing anything else that night.

_“She will run from you.”_

_Good._

Dimitri began stalking towards Byleth, whom he was slightly surprised to see didn’t back away. He stubbornly didn’t let it show, though. Grasping her collar, he half-pulled her up, half-leaned down to whisper in her ear, “If you’re so determined to help, then you may as well do so with your body. Otherwise… Leave. Me. Alone.”

Pulling back just enough to meet her gaze, Dimitri found neither horror nor disgust in her eyes. To his utter delight and sorrow, he saw only surprise, then a sad sort of compassion as she reached up and tucked a stray lock of golden hair behind his ear. “I’m not leaving you,” Byleth stated. “Do what you will. I know you won’t hurt me.”

“You put too much trust in a monster.”

“I put just enough trust in a _man_.”

Dimitri ignored Byleth’s declaration as he pushed her to the cold, stone floor. She landed hard, but he’d seen her take worse falls during training. But he didn’t follow immediately. Instead, Dimitri undid the clasps on his codpiece and pushed his pants down just enough to take his cock out, making sure Byleth saw exactly what she’d be taking. The way her eyes widened a bit told him that she had.

As he followed her down, hardened gaze never leaving hers, Byleth took more initiative than he’d expected. She reached between his legs and gently stroked his length, her calloused and strong hand sending his mind spinning. Dimitri couldn’t stop the moan that passed his lips.

 _No, it can’t be like this. It can’t be soft and gentle. I don’t deserve it!_ Dimitri grasped her wrist, yanking it away from his rapidly hardening cock. “Hands and knees,” he hissed. “Now!”

Byleth froze for a moment, eyes widening for the briefest of moments. Slowly, she withdrew her hand and complied, rolling over so her back was to him. Dimitri almost expected her to run – he _wanted_ her to run – and yet Byleth merely glanced over her shoulder, her gaze steadily fixed on the bestial prince behind her.

Dimitri forced himself to tear his eyes away from hers, away from the calm acceptance and kindness to things more base in nature. He pulled her shorts down to her knees along with her smallclothes. She shivered as her ass was exposed to the cold, night air before Dimitri covered her bare skin with his large hands. He gave her cheeks an experimental squeeze, reveling in the surprised squeak it elicited from Byleth.

She wasn’t as soft as he imagined. Her buttocks were thick with muscle, which he quickly realized made complete sense. Byleth was a warrior, after all; she was hardly at ease sitting down if she could be training or exercising. Dimitri let his hands slide down along her thighs, his cock getting harder as he felt her strong muscles flex beneath his fingers. A better man than him would surely delight in having his head trapped between her legs while he brought her ecstasy with his mouth, but Dimitri was not that man.

He wasn’t a man at all. He was hardly even a beast.

With a pleased grunt, Dimitri gripped her hips and pulled them flush with his, letting his cock brush against her folds. He felt Byleth twitch at the contact, briefly wondering if she enjoyed the feeling but dismissing it just as quickly. _She should feel disgusted being touched like this,_ Dimitri thought as he discarded his gloves. _Why isn’t she? I’ll drag her down with me. Doesn’t she understand that?_

Shaking the confusion from his mind, Dimitri pressed his chest against her back and thrust his hand up under her shirt. He easily found her breasts and growled appreciatively at how one just barely fit in his palm. _So soft,_ Dimitri’s mind wandered as he kneaded the pliant flesh and rolled her nipple between his fingers. _Whoever has her after me… will be truly blessed._

 _“Oh? Not going to claim her, then? Not going to fuck her ‘til she’s spoiled by the blood on your hands?”_ Glenn’s voice taunted him from somewhere beyond the darkness of the pews. Dimitri could practically see him sneering, berating the disgraced prince in a mockery of Felix’s harsh insults. _“Give it up and act like the beast you are! She’d be a fine mate for a boar like you. Might be the only one strong enough to carry_ your _spawn anyway.”_

Dimitri froze. He hadn’t considered that, but now it was the only thing occupying his mind. Not even Byleth’s quiet moans or the subtle rocking of her hips penetrated that one thought. “Is…” Dimitri muttered into her shoulder. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes,” she replied softly, though he barely heard her over the deafening silence of his ghosts.

 _“We must have our vengeance,”_ the voices sang in disparate harmony. _“If you fall – when you fall – it will be your offspring that carry our burden.”_

Dimitri pressed his face against Byleth’s back, hiding the few tears that escaped. A good man wouldn’t force such a thing on a child. An honorable man wouldn’t force a child on another. But he was neither.

 _I’m a monster,_ Dimitri repeated in his mind as he lowered his free hand to open her folds. _I’m a monster._ He dipped two fingers inside her. They slid in easily, her pussy slick with want.

 _“Look how you’ve tainted her already,”_ his father jeered. _“She_ wants _you to plant your seed!”_

_I’m a monster. Forgive me…_

_“You don’t deserve forgiveness!”_

Dimitri removed his fingers and pressed the head of his cock against her slit, holding her hips steady. Byleth inhaled sharply right before he sheathed himself within her. He bit her shoulder in the same motion, bringing her focus away from how he stretched her vagina.

_Monster._

_“Beast.”_

“Dimitri,” Byleth moaned as he began to move. She lifted her hand from the floor and placed it over his, urging him to keep fondling her breast. “Ah, Dimitri~”

He started off slow, gasping at how warm and tight she was. His whole body seemed to warm with every thrust, the sensations sending little shocks up his spine. It was a completely different sensation than when he took himself in hand. Dimitri shivered in delight, increasing his pace as a pleasant tingle slowly traveled up from his toes.

_Monster._

Byleth’s moans grew in volume, and she pressed against him, chasing his rough touch. Dimitri felt a swell of pride full of shame. She was enjoying this. Being bent over and mounted like some kind of broodmare… was pleasurable for her.

 _“Seems like you’re not the only animal here.”_ No, she wasn’t a beast. Not even close. _“You’ll turn her into one.”_ His list of sins was long. What was one more going to do? _“She’ll carry your offspring… a little hoglet to follow your bloody path.”_

 _I know. I’ll do as you wish,_ Dimitri lamented even as he snapped his hips forward. _I’m a weapon of vengeance. That’s all._

He growled as he approached his peak, Byleth’s cries of pleasure pushing out the shouts of his ghosts. His mind filled with images of kissing her deeply, of holding her flush to his bare chest. All the things he didn’t deserve. The want and hurt sent Dimitri over the edge, and he roared as he came, spilling his seed inside her.

Dimitri remained still as he caught his breath. He could feel Byleth under him, rubbing her clit until she reached her own climax. He thought it fitting that it wasn’t his actions that brought her relief, though he was at least a little glad that she wasn’t left unfulfilled. A warm exhaustion flooded his body, and Dimitri was about to welcome it when the voices returned, louder and clearer than before.

 _“You’ve had your fun,”_ Dedue’s ghost softly reprimanded. _“Now leave the professor be.”_

Dedue’s gentle voice was ice water to Dimitri’s soul. He rarely heard his retainer’s voice, but when he did… the guilt and pain of loss returned stronger than ever. Without warning or ceremony, Dimitri pulled out and tucked his cock away. He swiftly retrieved his gloves and codpiece, as well, slipping them back on and turning away before Byleth had time to get to her feet.

“Dimitri?” she began, sliding her shorts back into place. “Are you feeling…?” She trailed off as Dimitri shot a glare in her direction.

“Leave,” he hissed. “Your presence is truly worthless now.”

“But—”

“Now. I need to…” He paused for a moment, realizing the answer to making her leave was simpler than he thought. “I need to sleep.”

Byleth opened her mouth as if to protest further but seemed to think better of it. Instead, she simply nodded and turned down the aisle, throwing him one last, concerned look. “Sweet dreams.”

“They never are,” Dimitri mumbled, long after she left earshot. “Monsters only ever have nightmares.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Dimitri didn’t go to sleep. He didn’t even try. There would’ve been no point, as his ghosts allowed him no rest even while he dreamed. Instead, he stalked through the empty cathedral, listening to his fallen friends and family scream for revenge and justice.

Except for one.

 _“You should check on Byleth,”_ Dedue stated calmly, his ethereal form flickering as he kept pace with Dimitri. _“There are contraceptive herbs in the greenhouse. You could at least tell her which ones they are.”_

Dimitri shivered at his friend’s voice. Dedue appeared as he had five years ago, wearing busted armor and bleeding from a dozen cuts, yet he retained that calm aura he always had. Dimitri simply couldn’t ignore or let his voice fade into the background, nor did he want to. But that simply made his words hurt most of all.

“If she doesn’t want to be pregnant, she’ll go to Manuela,” he hissed, though without the venom he spat at his living friends. “Byleth’s savvy enough to do so.”

Dedue’s phantom merely raised an eyebrow. _“She’s shaken and worried for you. Do you believe she’ll really think to do that?”_ Dimitri flinched, but that didn’t stop Dedue. _“I want Edelgard’s head… no one else’s. Byleth has been nothing but kind to me. You should offer her the option, as I am unable to.”_

“I… understand.”

Reluctantly, Dimitri forced himself to leave the silence of the cathedral and venture into the slightly noisier monastery. The few guards patrolling the grounds gave him a wide berth, which was fine with him. He entered the greenhouse quietly and grabbed a handful of the herbs Dedue indicated before heading to Byleth’s room. Keeping his blind side to the door, he gave the solid oak two solid knocks.

Within a minute, Dimitri heard the telltale sounds of movement within her room. Soon after, the door creaked open. He assumed Byleth was peeking out to see who was calling on her so late at night, but he stubbornly kept looking straight ahead.

“Dimitri? What’re you doing here?” she slurred, sleep still heavy in her words.

“Here.” Dimitri thrust out the herbs and waited for her to take them from his hand. “Chew on the leaves, and make sure you see Manuela tomorrow.”

A moment passed before he felt Byleth accept the herbs. “Why?”

Dimitri grit his teeth and turned just enough to see her face. “Do you _want_ to get pregnant?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned again and started the long trek back to the cathedral. “Do what you will. I don’t care either way.”

As he stalked off, though, Dimitri heard a very soft “Thank you” before the door closed, once more leaving him alone with only his ghosts for company.


	2. A Man

_ Harpstring Moon, Year 1185… _

“Byleth?”

“Yes?” Byleth asked as she smoothed down her nightshirt.

Dimitri paused. He spent most of the day figuring out how to ask what he wanted to, but actually saying it was another ordeal entirely. Especially standing in Byleth’s room, where everything smelled of her. “I…” he began, glancing down at his hands as if that would steel his nerves. “I… would like to make love to you tonight, if you would allow me to.” The phrase sounded like something in one of Dorothea’s operas, but he meant every word. “I want… to love you as a man, not… like before… though I would understand if you’d rather I never touch you like that ever again.”

He couldn’t even bring himself to look up as she sighed. Dimitri wanted desperately to hold and caress Byleth, to show how much he adored her, but he’d done some truly horrible things over the past few months. He threw barbed insults and harsh ultimatums at his friends and allies, brushed aside their concerns for his wellbeing like he would a fly. And worst of all, he had allowed himself to use the former professor’s body. She later told him that she accepted his twisted affections willingly, but Dimitri would always feel like he had tainted her with his touch.

_ “Yes,” _ the voices in his head breathed.  _ “You destroy everything you touch. If you continue down this path, you will ruin her forever.” _

Dimitri clenched his jaw and prepared to fight back against his intangible demons as best he could. However, he nearly forgot that the one he was most worried about harming was also his staunchest ally. He inhaled sharply as she strode forward and laid a hand on his cheek.

“Please stop being so hard on yourself,” she sighed, gently caressing him. “I’ll gladly make love with you. I’ve longed for you ever since you first asked to see my smile. All I ask is that you allow me to give you some affection, as well.”

“Byleth…” Dimitri breathed her name like a prayer as he laid his hand over hers. “Thank you. I… I promise I’ll be gentle… like I should’ve been all along.”

_ “You’re incapable of being gentle.” _

Byleth smiled, unaware of the voices’ cruel taunts. She reached up to tuck a stray strand of golden hair behind his ear and giggled, “If you make love like you cuddle, then I can hardly wait.”

Dimitri couldn’t help the warm smile that spread across his face. “You won’t have to,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and nudging her towards the bed. As the mattress sagged slightly from their combined weight, the prince maneuvered her so she sat in his lap.

Byleth rested her arms around his shoulders, bright, green eyes meeting his single blue one. As Dimitri ran his large hands along her sides, the former professor lightly tugged at the strap holding his eye patch in place. “May I?”

The prince nodded once, inclining his head so she could reach the knot easier. He held his breath as she set the small piece of leather aside and ran her thumb over the sensitive skin it usually hid. When Byleth didn’t immediately cry out in horror, the prince slowly opened his eyes. Dimitri found it oddly fitting that the light appeared to give her a radiant halo whenever he beheld her with his scarred eye.  _ This must be what the Goddess looks like, _ he mused.  _ And I can only see it through a damaged eye. There’s some kind of irony in that, isn’t there? _

_ “The brighter she shines, the plainer your weakness is to see.” _

Dimitri winced at the voices, catching sight of a ghostly sword at the periphery of his vision. He tried to focus on Byleth’s face, on the curve of her lips and the tiny freckles speckling her cheeks, but she’d already seen fear flash across his features.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, gently cupping his cheeks. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” the prince said immediately, desperate to assuage her worries. “I’m in no pain. Just… remembering how I received this scar.”

“Dimitri…” Byleth pulled his head down so she could lay a tender kiss on his right eye. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.”

A ragged sob forced its way past his lips. He hadn’t told anyone how he lost his eye… how, delirious with hunger, he attacked a squad of Imperial soldiers with nothing more than a sharp rock for a weapon. He got his food at the cost of an eye and three more voices joining the choir of ghosts. “You’ve done more than enough,” Dimitri breathed before he kissed her deeply, pulling her to his chest as his hands roamed along her back.

He slowly caressed her body, kneading at the knots caused by stress and training. Tentatively, the prince slipped a hand under Byleth’s nightshirt, shivering in delight as she moaned. She was beautiful. Every scar he traced, every freckle he felt, he loved every bit. With his free hand, Dimitri let his fingers tangle in her mint green hair.

Of course, Byleth wasn’t one to sit idle while the prince mapped every inch of her body through touch. She brushed his hair back and cupped his cheek. Such a tender gesture, Dimitri couldn’t help the sigh that passed his lips. Her other hand wandered across his chest, tapping thoughtfully on his ribs as a silent reminder that he should eat more. It was hardly the time for such things, but the prince appreciated her concern nonetheless.

When he broke their kiss, Dimitri pressed his lips to her cheek, then to the corner of her jaw, then down her neck until he reached her shoulder. As he encountered the soft linen of her nightshirt, he huffed and reluctantly leaned back. “May I?” he asked sheepishly, tugging on the hem of her shirt.

“So proper,” Byleth teased, already lifting her arms above her head. “Of course you may.”

Dimitri smiled and pulled her shirt off, baring her full breasts. He was grateful she’d already removed her bra for the night, as he didn’t want to fumble with those little clasps. Once free of her top, Byleth did the same for him, slipping his nightshirt up and over his head. His cock twitched in anticipation as he bared himself, his mind racing at how she could see his every scar… the evidence of his mistakes. “Byleth…” he whimpered, resting his forehead against her shoulder. “I…”

Fingers tangled in his hair and slid across his back, following the trails left by axe and sword. Byleth sighed with contentment, her breath ghosting over the shell of his ear. “Beautiful. And strong.” Slowly, she laid a kiss at the back of his neck, letting her lips linger on his flushed skin. “Hold me close, Dimitri. I… I want to feel all of you tonight.”

“Yes.” Dimitri trembled, hesitantly continuing his trail of kisses down her body. He pressed his lips against the soft flesh of her breasts, letting Byleth guide him to her pert nipple. His eyes fluttered shut as he took the hard nub between his lips and rolled it with his tongue. The quiet moan it elicited made his head swim with warmth. Holding her steady with one hand, Dimitri cupped her unattended breast with the other. He’d touched her in this manner several times before – when he saw himself as nothing more than an animal – but this time he paid her the attention she was due.

Byleth’s body wasn’t nearly as damaged as his, but she still bore the marks of a mercenary’s life. Even her chest hadn’t gone unscathed. As he pinched and rolled the yielding flesh, Dimitri let his fingers and lips trace old scars, ignoring the growing hardness between his own legs. Byleth moaned as he tended to her, raking her nails across his back whenever he tugged at her nipples in just the right way.

Soon, she began rocking her hips against his. Dimitri gasped as the sudden stimulation reminded him of his own need.

_ “The beast grows hungry,” _ the voices taunted.  _ “Best let it free, lest it consume you, hm?” _

_ No, _ Dimitri sighed, pulling away from Byleth’s ample chest.  _ I’m not just a beast. I’ll see to her pleasure first. It’s the least I owe her. _

From the darkness in the corner of the room, Lambert’s ghost scoffed in disgust.  _ “As if you know the first thing about pleasuring another.” _

Dimitri shook the unease of his father’s gaze from his mind and met Byleth’s eyes instead. “Shall we move on… beloved?”

“‘Beloved’, am I?” she giggled playfully. “Well… I dare say I am ready, my sweet prince.”

He chuckled at the endearment, even as he shifted to lay Byleth on the bed. Carefully so as not to hurt her, Dimitri pulled her pants off, revealing her muscled thighs and patch of green hair that led to her already wet slit. He swallowed thickly as he tossed the last of her garments to the side and crouched between her legs, hooking her knees over his shoulders and kissing her inner thigh.

“Huh?” Byleth raised an eyebrow as she propped herself up on her elbows. “Dimitri?”

Dimitri smiled up at her sheepishly. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised; after all, he hadn’t done anything remotely like this during their previous encounters. “I want to pleasure you,” he said thoughtfully. “To… devote all my focus to you. But if you’d prefer I do something else…?”

Byleth shook her head. “No. No, you don’t have to stop. I just didn’t expect you to go down on me. That’s all.”

“Thank you,” Dimitri sighed before resuming his exploration.

Slowly, he kissed up her thighs, reveling in how she shivered the closer he got to her core. When his nose brushed against her mint green hair, Dimitri pressed his lips against her folds and dragged his tongue through her wetness until he felt her clit. Humming softly, he wrapped his lips around the sensitive nub and sucked, languidly flicking his tongue over it.

“Ah! Dimitri!” Byleth bucked against his mouth. “Right there! Where the hell did you learn that?! Keep doing it!”

Dimitri didn’t reply, though he did smile at her pleased shock. He continued to suck on her clit, alternating with his tongue just as Dorothea told him to. Just thinking about that conversation was enough to turn his face bright red, but it was certainly worth it to hear Byleth whining in pleasure as she pressed her thighs against his head. His cock strained against his trousers at the mere sound of her ecstasy. A moan passed his lips as Byleth hooked her legs over his back and tangled a hand in his hair. Dimitri hardly thought it necessary to use his hands as well, but he wanted to make this as good for her as possible, and so he curled two fingers into her slit.

Byleth keened as he stroked that spot within her. “Oh Goddess, I’m close!” she cried out, her foot bouncing against his back in time with his strokes. “Dimitri, yes! Ah~”

A tremor ran through her body as she arched her back, holding his head firmly against her pussy. Dimitri continued his ministrations until the last of the tremors settled and Byleth relaxed.

Pulling back, Dimitri gazed over her flushed body. She looked rapturous, eyes closed and lips parted ever so slightly as her breasts rose and fell with every deep breath. A swell of pride filled his chest as he realized that she’d found release from his mouth. The voices would certainly chastise him for that feeling, but Dimitri basked in it along with the knowledge that Byleth enjoyed it. Absentmindedly, he brought his hand to his lips and cleaned his fingers of Byleth’s juices. He couldn’t taste it, but the smell alone sent a tingle of desire along his spine, and he groaned.

Byleth opened her eyes at the sound and sat up, tilting his chin to meet his gaze. As gently as one would lift a feather, she pulled Dimitri into a slow kiss. He sighed into her mouth, allowing her tongue past his lips and defenses. He wouldn’t resist her anymore. He  _ couldn’t _ .

When her hand trailed down to the waistband of his breeches, Dimitri gasped, her intent clear. He forced himself not to pull away as she undid the laces and pulled the fabric down, freeing his aching cock. Byleth broke their kiss somewhat reluctantly and turned her focus to the thick shaft she exposed.

“Please,” Dimitri practically begged, his breath growing ragged with need. “Touch me.”

Byleth gave a nearly imperceptible nod and wrapped her slender fingers around his base. All the air left his lungs as she stroked with slow, steady motions. The pleasurable tingling at his core grew swiftly, and Dimitri curled around Byleth as best he could to anchor himself.

_ “Oh, so  _ now _ it’s acceptable for her to hand-fuck you?” _ Glenn’s ghost hissed from a corner of the room.  _ “Put your fur back on, boar. She doesn’t deserve this deception.” _

Dimitri flinched and dug his fingers into Byleth’s back.  _ No, _ he told himself.  _ No, she wants me. I know she does… So, I’ll be a man for her. _

No, he refused to take her like some horny beast. He had spent so long clothed – hiding – in the skin of an animal, parading around as if he were some horrid monster. But Byleth’s touch – her soft, warm hands – had peeled away that false layer of beasthood to reveal the hurt, lonely man within. She helped guide him back into the light, and, with much support from his friends, he finally felt human once more.

“Byleth,” he gasped as she rolled her thumb over his leaking slit. “I… I want to… to feel you around me. Please… may I make love to you?” Perhaps it was fortuitous that his body was already flush with want and desire, as the silliness of such a phrase would’ve turned him red with embarrassment.

But if Byleth cared, she didn’t show it. Instead, she cupped his cheek and kissed him long and deep before lying back down. With a warm smile, Byleth offered her hand to him. “Join me?”

Dimitri nodded, taking her hand and letting her pull him down, kicking his pants off in the process. He never would’ve believed such a scenario possible just a few months ago: laying on top of Byleth, naked and eager for an intimate touch.

_ “You really don’t deserve this.” _

Dimitri heard the voices, and yet somehow, they seemed more distant. The pleasant buzzing in his head must’ve driven them back, to the darker part of his mind where they slumbered. He sighed in relief and let his forehead rest against hers.

“You look mesmerizing,” Byleth said, running a hand through his hair as the other caressed his chest. “Peaceful. Is this what you imagined when you said you wanted to ‘love me as a man’?”

“Better,” Dimitri admitted as he kissed her. “So much better. Beloved…” He paused, looking deeply into her piercing eyes. “Do you… want me to pull out when I come? If so, I can—”

Byleth put her finger to his lips and grinned. “Whatever you’d prefer. Dedue helped me gather some of those contraceptive herbs, if that’s what you’re worried about. I know I shouldn’t be having children. At least, not right now.”

Dimitri furrowed his brow. It felt like her words held a deeper meaning, but he couldn’t see what it was. Or maybe he was simply frightened to let himself understand, though he couldn’t stop his curiosity. “What do you mean?”

“Discussion for another time,” Byleth said, shaking her head slightly. “I want you to make love to me, Dimitri.”

Those words were as a command to him. Dimitri pressed his lips to hers as he guided his cock between her folds. Despite his girth, he slid in easily. When he was fully sheathed in her, he felt her warm, wet walls tighten around him, making him moan loudly.

“Beloved, you feel wonderful. So  _ warm _ ,” Dimitri sighed, eyes fluttering shut. “Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me; I  _ want _ you here,” Byleth whispered, stroking his hair as he began to move. “I want you to be with me, Dimitri…”

Time seemed to fall away as he thrust into her pliant body. He began slowly, letting Byleth feel every inch of his cock. She muttered encouragements and tips as he gained speed, holding her chest against his and trembling in joy at the contact. Dimitri couldn’t get enough of her warm, battle-hardened skin. He wanted to hold her – to be held by her – until the nightmares fell away and the world made sense.

Warmth and electricity built in his core as he slipped in and out, drawing moans and sighs from both. Byleth raised her hips to meet his thrusts and wrapped her legs around his waist, steadying her body against his so he could fondle her breasts once more. The touch and the warmth and the wet mixed with pleasure until Dimitri came with deep moan that vibrated through his whole body. He continued to thrust until he heard Byleth reach her peak again. Only once he was certain she was satisfied did he slow to a stop.

They lay in each other’s arms for some time after, catching their breath and basking in the afterglow. Byleth was the first to move, and she nudged Dimitri to roll off to her side. He obliged wearily, sighing as she moved to lay on his chest and wrap her arms around his shoulders.

“That was wonderful,” Byleth smiled as she nuzzled against his collarbone. “I think I’ll sleep very well tonight.”

“As will I,” Dimitri said. He could already feel sleep tugging at his eyes, urged on by the soft body draped over his. He lazily wrapped his arms around Byleth. “Beloved, I… I think I… love you…”

The rest of his sentence, if there was more, was lost as his mind drifted into the peaceful nothingness of sleep. He just barely caught Byleth’s reply before fading entirely, though.

“I love you, too. Sleep well, Dima. I’ll be here when you wake up. Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and critiques are welcome and appreciated!


End file.
